5 Good Questions

Dude: While I'm a huge fan of all the local sports teams, there's nothing like covering the Miami Dolphins. There's a passion for the Fins that you just don't find with any other team in Miami. The fans are passionate and faithful about this team above all others. Besides that, the Miami Dolphins are my first love and it just feels right that I pour all my concentration into covering them exclusively.

Matty I: How long have you been a Dolphins fan and what are some of your fondest Dolphins memories?

Dude: My older brother and father are huge fans. So I was born into the crazy. My first memory is of A.J. Duhe's game against the Jets in the '82 AFC championship. I also remember crying when John Riggins ran all over us in the Super Bowl that year. I was a little boy with a broken heart. Stupid John Riggins. My fondest memory is when I first saw Dan Marino play in person. It was a regular season game against the Raiders and I remember how much faster his legendary quick-release was in person than on television. It was beautiful. I remember, for like three Halloweens in a row, I dressed up like him. In 2005 I traveled with my brother to Canton to see Marino get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I wept when he gave his induction speech. That is a great memory. I think I'm going to name my son Marino. Not Dan or Daniel. But Marino. Or maybe Thirteen. That way even if I have a girl, I can name her Thirteen. Thirteen is good for a boy or a girl.

Matty I: What's your beef with Miami Herald writer Armando Salguero?

Dude: The beef isn't so much with Salguero as it is with some commenters on his blog. I have a very low tolerance for stupid. You read through the comments section there, you realize there are a lot of morons in the world who call themselves Dolphins fans. It's embarrassing. I actually have a good number of readers who found me through the comments there and decided to stick with my blog over his for this very reason - so I like to stick it to him for that every now and then. He's cool about it. Unlike my blog and The Phinsider, the stuff that goes on in Salguero's comments is ridiculous and childish. People insulting one another, trashing Salguero, calling each other derogatory names. It's ridiculous. It takes away from his smart reporting. I peruse through his comments and I'm like, Jesus, I am now dumber for having read all of that.

Matty I: Looking a head, what Dolphins storyline are you most excited about this season?  The development of Ted Ginn and John Beck?  The arrivals of Trent Green and Joey Porter?  A new head coach?

Dude: I'm a really big fan of John Beck. Prior to the draft my favorite quarterback prospects were Kevin Kolb, Brady Quinn and John Beck - in that order. I was hoping Hawaii's Colt Brennen was going to enter the draft but he decided to stay in college for one more year. The Eagles took Kolb, but I was very happy we took Beck. Overall, I really think Beck and Quinn are going to be similar in their success. But the more I see Beck, the more I read his interviews, the more I'm convinced he will be a better pro. His college stats say so and his demeanor and maturity say so. And I think we're going to see Beck become the starter this year. Not right away, but somewhere around November or December.

Matty I: How do you see this season turning out for the M iami Dolphins?

Dude: Good question. But to be honest, right now, I see them finishing somewhere between 8-8 and 6-10. Which is fine. We can't be naïve about this team. The only real problem I have is that we're wasting away Jason Taylor's and Zach Thomas' prime years and that's just criminal. But it is what it is. The offensive line remains a mystery, I'm not sold on Trent Green and our receiving corps is not all that improved. This is a project for Cameron and Mueller. 8-8 would be good. But 6-10 seems to be more realistic. I hope I'm wrong. Still, that's why they play the game on the field and not on paper. There have been teams with outstanding defenses that led teams to Super Bowls in the past. So, as ever, I'm optimistic and excited about the start of the Cam Cameron/Randy Mueller era. It's going to be an adventure. It always is.